“Message sent,” replied Janice from Communications. She sensed Hedon was vastly relieved Admiral Nagumo had shown up with the entire Federation fleet. She could see that the stress lines had mostly faded from his face.
-
“I have Grayseth on the com,” Angela said with a big smile. “He wants to know what took you so long to get back.”
“Tell him we came back to rescue him once again,” Jeremy responded, pleased to hear from his friend.
“Grayseth says to hunt well and he'll be waiting for you on the space station,” Angela informed Jeremy.
The Avenger shuddered violently and several amber lights appeared on the damage control board.
“Antimatter missiles struck the energy shield,” Ariel reported as she checked the ship for damage. “Shield is holding at sixty-three percent and regenerating. We have slight damage to the hull in several sections, but all compartments are still airtight.”
“Continue the attack,” Jeremy ordered as he studied one of the tactical displays.
“Strikecruiser Gladiator is down,” Kevin reported as the green icon representing the ship vanished from his sensor screen. “Light cruisers SureFire and Sydney are also down.”
Jeremy took a sharp breath. Even though they were now winning the battle, the Federation fleets were still suffering losses. Glancing at one of the main viewscreens, he saw with satisfaction another AI sphere explode under the heavy particle beam fire of two Alton battlecruisers.
“Only six AIs remain,” Kevin informed Jeremy, seeing the destroyed AI on the viewscreen. “The fleets also lost fourteen Alton battlecruisers.”
“The enemy are concentrating their fire on them,” Colonel Malen reported as she checked the tactical data on one of her screens.
“Jeremy, Admiral Streth is warning everyone to be aware of possible suicide runs by the Hocklyns,” Angela said in a concerned voice.
“Pass the word,” Jeremy ordered. He agreed with Admiral Streth. The Hocklyns would try to ram once they knew they could not win the battle or escape.
-
Fleet Commodore Resmunt felt himself flung violently forward against the command console. Looking down, he saw a large dent in the chest plate of his battle armor. “Report!” he barked. The War Room was becoming full of smoke from several consoles that had shorted out.
“We can’t escape,” First Leader Ganth rasped. “Too many of our ships have been destroyed or damaged. Even the Borzon report they are helpless to stop the Humans.”
“Then we die!” Resmunt spoke, his voice shaking with rage. “Today we go to find our final honor. Order all ships to go to full sublight and ram the nearest Human vessel. We will take as many of the Humans with us as possible.” Resmunt knew that his dreams of rising in the Hocklyn Hierarchy perhaps even to the exalted rank of High Councilor were now over.
“Honor comes for us,” replied First Leader Ganth solemnly as he passed on the commands to Navigation to ram the nearest Human ship.
-
Hundreds of surviving Hocklyn ships suddenly accelerated and headed toward First Fleet and Ceres Fleet. This was what Admiral Streth had expected, and suddenly every missile tube in the Human capital ships belched forth Devastator Three and antimatter missiles. Hocklyn ships began to die as massive explosions obliterated their energy shields, leaving their armored hulls vulnerable to attack.
The space station, shipyard, type two battlestations, particle beam satellites, and the Alton battlestations joined in, firing every weapon and missile in their tubes. Numerous missile platforms launched their remaining Devastator missiles in an attempt to stop the deadly charge. However, there were just too many Hocklyn ships. Some began to make it into the Human fleet formations. Battlecruisers began to die, strikecruisers tried to dodge out of the way but to no avail. When a Hocklyn ship struck a Human ship’s energy screen the Hocklyn ship usually exploded violently. The released energy and the ship debris then impacted the Federation ship, destroying it.
-
“We’re losing ships,” Colonel Trist spoke, his eyes wide in shock at the devastation the Hocklyn suicide attack was causing. On the tactical displays, Federation ships were dying faster than he could track.
On the main viewscreen, a charging Hocklyn escort cruiser exploded in a fiery blast as an antimatter missile destroyed the ship just short of the StarStrike. The ship’s shield glowed brightly as debris from the destroyed ship struck it.
“Ceres Fleet is taking the brunt of the attack,” Colonel Grissim warned as she watched green icon after green icon vanish from the tactical screens.
Hedon quickly passed the orders for First Fleet to move closer to Admiral Telleck’s command.
“Sir, the Ceres!” yelled Captain Reynolds, pointing to one of the main viewscreens.
Four Hocklyn escort cruisers were bearing down on Ceres Fleet’s flagship. One of the cruisers exploded followed quickly by a second, but then the other two struck the battlecruiser’s energy screen, obliterating it. For a moment, the Ceres vanished as a brilliant light surrounded it. When the light faded, a riddled wreck was all that remained on the screen.
The crew in the Command Center of the StarStrike were stunned speechless. Everyone’s eyes were focused on the viewscreen and the heavily damaged ship.
“Admiral Telleck!” exclaimed Colonel Trist his face turning pale.
Hedon knew that if any of the crew on the Ceres survived it wouldn’t be many. He was surprised the ship’s self-destructs hadn’t activated. “Have two strikecruisers move over to cover the Ceres.” He hoped Admiral Telleck had survived. It would be a devastating loss if Admiral Telleck had been killed. Hedon tried to put that worrisome thought out of his mind, he still had a battle to finish.
For the next few minutes, the devastation continued. One Hocklyn warcruiser managed to ram the space station, damaging a major portion of it. A dreadnought and two light cruisers struck the shipyard, annihilating two of the construction bays. Three Alton battlestations died in fiery explosions from suiciding Hocklyn ships. Finally, it was over and all that remained were three AI ships and several hundred Borzon battlecruisers. Admirals Nagumo and Sheen were already beginning to engage them with additional bomber strikes clearing the way.
-
On board the Ceres, Admiral Telleck was busy evacuating the survivors out of the Command Center. The ship was severely damaged and he greatly feared that the self-destructs could activate at any second. “Everyone get to the flight bay, we need to abandon ship!”
“What about you?’ demanded Colonel Barnes, seeing Admiral Telleck hesitate and look around the wrecked Command Center. It was full of smoke with numerous small fires burning. Kathryn wasn’t going anywhere without the admiral.
A sudden explosion jarred the ship and Admiral Telleck grabbed Kathryn pushing her out of the hatch. At the same moment, the reinforced ceiling collapsed. Admiral Telleck felt a sharp pain in his chest as a massive beam pinned him to the floor.
“Admiral!” screamed Kathryn, running back into the burning Command Center. She kneeled down next to the admiral.
“Save yourself,” ordered Telleck, coughing up blood. “I’m finished. Tell Fleet Admiral Johnson I’m sorry, and it just wasn’t meant to be.” The admiral closed his eyes and was gone.
Kathryn stood up, not believing that the admiral was dead. How could this happen? With tears in her eyes, she ran out of the Command Center toward the flight bay. She would make sure the Fleet Admiral got Admiral Telleck’s last message.
-
The Command AI studied the ship’s sensor screens carefully. The Hocklyn suicide attack had markedly weakened the defending Human ships, but not enough to allow them to attack the planet. The remaining Borzon ships were under heavy attack from the incoming Human warships.
“Jump us out,” ordered the Command AI, reaching a decision. “We must report the results of this battle to AI Command.”
The Command AI knew that, after the report, AI Command would give even more import
ance to finishing the Great Project. It was now obvious that the Humans, along with their allies, would in all probability defeat the Hocklyn Empire. Only by committing a major portion of their fleet could the AIs turn the tide of this war. However, those ships were needed for the Great Project at the galaxy’s center. The Hocklyns would be left on their own. The survival of their Empire would be up to them.
-
Admiral Sheen watched the main viewscreens as the last Borzon battlecruiser died under the heavy fire from the WarStorm’s power beams and its particle beam cannon. Looking at the remains of First Fleet and Ceres Fleet, she knew the Federation had paid a steep price. Over half of the ships in both fleets had been destroyed. Even worse, she'd just received word that Admiral Telleck had been killed on the Ceres as he tried to evacuate the crew out of the ship’s Command Center. A falling beam had ended the valiant admiral’s life as he pushed the last crewmember out of the hatch.
Her own fleet had taken substantial losses. She knew that the total losses to the Federation fleets would be over four hundred vessels plus thousands of fighters and bombers. However, the Hocklyns had been defeated. The Borzon fleet had been destroyed and the last few remaining AIs had jumped away. Amanda knew that this battle was a turning point. From now on, the Federation would be on the offensive.
-
Hedon looked over the latest casualty lists, feeling numb. Not only had they lost Admiral Telleck, but Rear Admiral Bixby and the battlecarrier Essex were gone too. They'd paid a heavy price in personnel and ships, but they had won the battle.
“We survived,” spoke Colonel Trist, surprised they were still here.
“But we paid a high cost,” Hedon responded with a heavy sigh. He knew he would have to send a personal message to Fleet Admiral Johnson and Governor Malleck about Telleck’s death. He would be sorely missed.
-
Out near the edge of Careth’s gravity well, the Hocklyn dreadnought Viden drifted. Its hull was torn open in numerous places and most of its weapons had been destroyed. In the War Room, Jaseth struggled to stand. Looking around, he saw with shock that everyone else was dead. Commodore Versith and War Leader Trion had died when several large beams crashed down from the ceiling, crushing them. Both had gone to find their final honor. The room was full of smoke and small fires were burning in several consoles.
Jaseth staggered over to Navigation and saw with surprise that the FTL drive was now showing as functional. There must still be someone alive in Engineering. Sitting down in front of the Navigation console, he began entering the coordinates to a nearby star system. He was going to jump the ship, but they were still within Careth’s gravity well. Jaseth knew it was a gamble, but it was the only chance he had to survive.
Taking a deep breath, he reached out and pressed the FTL activation button. Moments later, the Viden jumped into hyperspace amongst the sound of tearing metal. Jaseth reached down and touched his blade. Perhaps if he survived, his blade might still someday know the taste of Human blood. Around him, the Viden shuddered and shook as hyperspace attempted to tear the dreadnought apart. Jaseth took another breath. He had survived and someday he would return to extract revenge on what the Humans had done.
Chapter Twenty-Three
High Leader Nartel was back on Calzen in the chambers of the High Council. Once he had been satisfied that the attack would succeed, he'd ordered his dreadnought and escorts to return to Kenward Seven. He'd been waiting at Kenward Seven for an FTL message from Fleet Admiral Resmunt. While he waited, he had been busy directing the rebuilding of the shipyards and the bringing in of tens of thousands of new slaves to work on the construction. He had been stunned when the dreadnought Viden had returned in its stricken condition and under the command of its Second Leader. The news that Resmunt had been defeated was a major shock.
Nartel immediately left the system to return to Calzen and the High Council. The war had taken a dangerous and ominous turn, which might not find the Hocklyn Slave Empire victorious in the end.
“The Borzon defeated, our own fleets in ruins, and the AIs driven back to the galactic center,” Councilor Ruthan growled as he looked accusingly at High Leader Nartel. “You brought the Borzon in without even consulting us!”
“I did it to ensure our victory,” responded Nartel defensively, not liking the tone of the council. “If I had gone through the council, there was a good chance the decision to involve the Borzon would have been voted down.”
“And what good did it do?” Ruthan spat back in anger. “Counting the Borzon and the losses at Kenward Seven, nearly four thousand ships have been destroyed. What are we going to do when the Humans and their allies come here?”
“It is a logical course of action for them,” High Councilor Berken added with a heavy frown. “They will come for our home worlds just as we came for theirs.”
“We must recall our fleets,” Ruthan demanded, his large eyes glowing with fire. “The home worlds must be protected at all costs!”
“With our massed fleets, the Humans and their allies will fail in their attack upon our worlds,” High Councilor Jarles added. “Once the Humans have been defeated then we can move swiftly to reclaim our Empire.”
“I agree,” added High Councilor Desmonde. Several others nodded their consent.
“It shall be done,” replied High Leader Nartel, knowing he had no other choice. He'd taken a gamble and it had failed. “I will recall our fleets.”
Nartel knew they would not be able to count on the AIs or the other three races that controlled different sectors of the galaxy for help. An AI ship had entered Calzen space the day before and summoned Nartel for an immediate audience. The Command AI had informed him that the AIs were pulling back to the galactic center and would no longer be involved in the war against the Humans. It had also warned Nartel not to seek out the other three proxy races for assistance.
Looking around the council table, Nartel knew that, for once, the Hocklyns were truly on their own. He wondered just what would happen when the Humans came for them. He was not as confident as the others that their massed fleets would be able to stop them. The Humans were coming for revenge and they would show no mercy, just as the Hocklyns had shown no mercy when they had wiped out the original Human Federation of Worlds.
-
Fleet Admiral Karla Johnson was standing upon a large balcony overlooking the Aquaria Habitat inside Ceres. Admiral Telleck and she had spent many hours standing here discussing the war, the Federation, and occasionally future plans. She felt a tear roll out of her eyes, knowing she would never be able to speak with him like that again.
“He was a good man,” Governor Malleck spoke from where he was standing at her side. “He would have wanted us to continue and finish this war.”
“I know,” answered Karla, trying to keep the emotion out of her voice that was so close to spilling out. “It’s just so difficult to accept that he’s really gone. I keep expecting to see him come into my office or to receive a com message informing me he's on his way.”
“We’ve lost a lot of people over the last few years,” Malleck said in a voice that sounded tired. “If what the Altons have told us is true about what the AIs are building at the center of the galaxy, we have to find a way to stop them. Glenn would have wanted that. He would have expected it out of us.”
“You’re right,” Karla said with a deep sigh, turning to face the governor. “He always seemed to know what needed to be done.”
“I spoke to Admiral Kalen yesterday,” Malleck continued in a steady voice. “He’s now in charge of the Ceres Fleet. We hope to have all of our losses replaced with new construction by the end of the year.
This caused Karla to raise her eyebrows. No one really knew what the ship building capacity was inside Ceres. It was a secret they had always insisted on keeping.
“Admiral Streth will be moving to retake the old Human Federation of Worlds shortly,” she said. Already, the necessary defensive stations and satellites were being built for placemen
t around New Providence. “The next attack against the Hocklyns will be launched from New Providence as soon as Admiral Streth has the forces he needs for success.”
“As it should be,” Malleck responded with a nod. “From what Admiral Kalen has told me, Fleet Admiral Streth is already planning the attack on the Hocklyn home worlds.”
“The Hocklyn home worlds and then the AIs at the center of the galaxy,” Karla said. She took a deep breath and turned back to look out over the habitat. It was so beautiful with all the flowing rivers, lakes, small forests, and the modern city at its center. “I just can’t help wondering how all of this is going to end.”
Governor Malleck didn’t respond. He stood next to Karla, looking out across the habitat. The survivors of the old Human Federation of Worlds had settled Ceres centuries in the past. Now, at last, they were at war with the Hocklyns, a war they might just win. However, the AIs were another matter. He felt a cold chill run up his back as he thought about the metal monstrosities created by the Altons so long ago. He too wondered just what awaited them at the galaxy’s center.
-
Karl Arcles was in a room at a very fancy resort on New Tellus. Looking around, he saw only one bed and as far as he knew, Lacy had not reserved another room. Perhaps there'd been a mix up. As soon as Lacy came out of the shower, they would go downstairs and get everything straightened out.
Karl heard the shower turn off and then a few minutes later the door opened and Lacy stepped out. His eyes popped open upon seeing the black see through gown she was wearing. “Lacy,” Karl stammered, not sure what to say or what to do.
Lacy walked over to Karl with a seductive smile on her face. She reached up, tilted his head, and kissed him deeply. “You said I could have anything, and this is what I want!”
The Slaver Wars: Galactic Conflict Page 33